Refillable pencil



March 26, 1935. c. STEHL 1,995,757

'REFILLABLE PENCIL Filed, F eb. 25, 19.55

INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE IREFIYLLABLE PENCIL oi raa stehl, Oakland, Calif. Application February; 25, 1933, session. 658,416,

' dowels. (01.120-18) This invention is a refillable pencil of the type designed especially for miniature or vest pocket size. 1 M

The main: object of. theinventionisto provide a refillable pencil which will reject and retract a lead, and. which is provided with means for eject ing. the lead after the lead becomes too short for use. I I v Another object of. the invention is to provide propellingmeans in the pencil. which will .provide positive feeding and retraction of the lead, and which propelling: means requires a minimum amount of space for its installationso as to perout its incorporation in a pencil housing of miniature size.

Other objects and advantages of the, invention will become apparent asthe following description is read on the drawing forming a partof this specification, and in which similar reference characters. are used to designate similar parts throughout the several views, of. which:

Fig, Ilsa longitudinal sectional view through the pencil housing showing the interior 'construction of the'pencil."

Fig. 2=fis a longitudinal view of the propelling meana'rwlth the point end of the pencil body shown in section. a

1 Fig.3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4-1sa View similar to Fig. 2 except with 30 the propelling means in lead retracted position.

' The inventionl consists of the ,usualcylindrical housing having a tapered point end 11 and a rotatable head or cap 12 which cap is rotatable relative to the housing 10.

fixedly secured within the housing 10 is a body Ianavmg an integral collar '14. spaced from the point 15, this collarpre'ferably' irictionally'engag ing'thewalls of the housing 10' and comoidently forming retaining means for one end of the propelling means. The-body 13 has an axial bore 16 extending th oughout the length thereof, the bore being restricted at the point as indicated at 17, the restriction being such asto slidably receive a lead 18". The bore 16 is tapered at the restriction as indicated at 19 so as to cause the lead to" be. guided intothe restricted aperture 17, in the event that .the lead is superficially retraoted. A radial slot 20- extendsf-rom the upper end 21 of the body 13 to a point 22, whichis located a predetermined distance from the upper. surface of the collar 14, this terminal end of the slot forming movement limiting means for the lead holder. This slot 20 coincidently permitscooperation between the propelling means and the lead holder, and, functions as a keyway to prevent rotation of the lead holder.

Slidably mounted within the bore 16 is a lead holder 23, which is of cylindrical form andhas an axial bore extending throughout its length 5 of a size to frictionally receive the lead 18, the lower end of the lead holder beingcomplementarily tapered as indicated at 24, to seat the taper 19 in the bore 16-. A radial projection 25 is formed at one end of the lead holder, and extends through the .slot 20, this preventing rotation of the lead holder relative to the body 13 and forming engaging means for cooperation with the propelling means. I Slidably mounted in the bore 26 orthe lead holder is a plunger 27, the rearward end 28 of which is bent at right angles to the axis, this bentportion also projecting through the slot 20. This plunger selectively functions as backstop means for the lead 18 as indicated at 29, and, as an ejec' tor for the lead.

The propelling means consists of a helical member 30' formedof fiat material, this member being rotatable on the body 13 and being retained against longitudinal-imov'ement by the collars 14 and 31, both of which collars are fixedly secured to the body 13. The projections 25' and 28 extending through the slot 20, cooperate with the propelling and ejecting means. The cap 12 is fixedly secured to, the upper end 32 of the helical member, whereby rotation of the cap will rotate the helical member, topropel the pencil.

The ejector 27 is connected with a follower 33 of helical form provided. with slightly more than one convolution. This follower helix is interposed between the convolutions of the helical member 30 as is clearly shown in the figures, the edges of the spiral fitting closely within the spaces between the convolutions and the helical member to prevent undue endwise play of the follower with respect to the convolutions of the helix 33. The projectlon 28 on the plunger 2''? issecured in one terminal 34 of the helix, the projection 25 normally cooperating with the lower edge or the helical member,.the helical member 30 and the helix 33 coincldently forming spacing means between the two members 25 and 28, and thereby retaining the plunger 27 in lead backing position as indicated Fig. '4 throughout the entire movement of the lead holder; A recess 35' is formed in the under edge of the helical member adjacent the lower end to permit advance movement of the ejecting means after the projection 25 and coincidently. the lead holder have reached their limit of movement, a recess 36 being provided in the lower terminal of the helix 33 to normally receive the projection 25.

The operation of the device is as follows:

With the cap 12 turned to the right to the point where the projection 25 has reached the end 22 of the slot 20, the end 29 of plunger 27 is in the position indicated in Fig. 4. At this point a lead 18 may be inserted and is then frictionally held in the bore, and limited as to the degree of insertion by the end 29 of the plunger 27. By turning the knob 12 counterclockwise, rotation of the helical member 30 cooperates with the helix 33 and moves this helix toward the cap, main-.

taining the spacing between the projections 25 and 28 throughout the entire distance of travel, thus retracting the lead, lead holder and plunger 'coincidently. Reversing the rotation of the cap 12, causes a downward movement of the helix 33, retaining the spacing between the members 25 and 28 until the member 25 has reached the terminal 22 of the slot 20, at which point further movement of the projection 25 and coincidently the lead holder 23 is interrupted. At this point the continued rotation of the cap and coincidently the helical member 30 permits the helix 33 to continue its travel downwardly urging the plunger 27 toward the point of the pencil and ejecting the lead, as indicated in Fig. 2, which shows the plunger 2'7 extending to the point of the pencil, the projection 25 disposed in the recess 35 and the spacing between the projections 25 and 28 reduced over their normal relation.

From the above it will be noted that the plunger is retained in lead backing position as shown in 'Fig. 4 throughout all movements of the lead holder, and only after the forward movement of the lead holder has been terminated by the end of the slot indicated at 22, does the plunger change its position within the lead holder, being projected to eject the lead from the lead holder and the end of the pencil body.

Having described an operative device it will be understood that variations in the construction and arrangement of parts which are consistent with the appended claims may be resorted to without detracting from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. A refillable pencil comprising a pencil housing, a tubular body fixedly secured within said housing and provided with fixed longitudinally spaced collars and also having a longitudinal slot therein, a helical propelling member located between said collars and encircling said body and having rotative engagement therewith, a helical follower also encircling said tubular body and mounted to travel in the convolutions of said propelling member, a tubular lead holder reciprocably mounted in the bore of said tubular body, and having a portion extended through said slot and engaging said helical follower, an ejector within the bore of said lead holder and also having a portion extended through said slot and engaging said helical follower, and a cap rotatably engaging one end of the housing and so connected with the propelling member as to be rotatable therewith. I

2. A refillable pencil comprising a pencil housa tubular body fixedly secured within said housing and provided with fixed longitudinally spaced collars and also having a longitudinal slot therein, a helical propelling member located between said collars and encircling said body and having rotative engagement therewith, a

helical follower also encircling said tubular body and mounted to travel in the convolutions of said propelling member, a tubular lead holder reciprocably mounted in the bore of said tubular body and having a portion extended through said slot, the last mentioned extended portion having a releasable engagement with said helical follower, an ejector located within the bore of said lead holder and also having a portion extended through said slot and engaging said follower, and a predetermined distance from the position of engagement of the lead holder with the follower, said propelling member and said helical follower having complemental means constructed and arranged to effect release of the lead holder at a predetermined position during its travel.

3. A refillable pencil comprising a pencil housing, a tubular body fixedly secured within said housing and provided with fixed longitudinally spaced collars and also having a longitudinal slot therein, a helical propelling member rotatively mounted upon said tubular body between said collars, a helical follower loosely encircling said tubular body and having its convolutions so arranged as to travel in the convolutions of said propelling member, a tubular lead holder reciprocably mounted in the bore of said tubular body and having a portion extended through said slot and engaging said follower, and a predetermined distance from the position of engagement of the lead holder with the follower, a plunger located within the bore of said lead holder and also having a portion extended through said slot and engaging said helical follower, and a cap rotatively engaging one end of the housing and so connected with the tubular body as to be rotatable therewith.

4. A refillable pencil comprising a pencil housing, a tubular body fixedly secured within said housing and provided with fixed longitudinally spaced collars and also having a longitudinal slot therein, a helical propelling member rotatively mounted upon said tubular body between said collars, a helical follower member loosely encircling said tubular body and having its convolutions so arranged as to travel in the convolutions of said propelling member, a tubular lead holder reciprocably mounted in the bore of said tubular body and having a portion extended through said slot, said helical follower having a recess releasably engaging said extended portion. a plunger located within the bore of said lead holder and also having a portion extended through said slot and engaging said follower member, and a predetermined distance from the position of engagement of the lead holder with the follower member, and a cap rotatably engaging one end of the housing and so connected with the tubular body as to be rotatable therewith, said propelling member having a recess so positioned as to cooperate with the recess in said helical follower member and to effect release of the lead holder at a predetermined position during its travel.

5. A refillable pencil comprising a housing, a tubular lead holder, a plunger movably mounted in the bore of said lead holder, a helical propelling member rotatably mounted within said housing, a follower member mounted to travel between the convolutions of said propelling member, means releasably connecting the lead holder and said follower member, means connecting said plunger with said follower member, and means constructed and arranged to convert rotative tension applied to said propelling member into rectilinear movement applied to said follower member, the lead holder and the plunger.

6, A refillable pencil comprising a pencil housing, a tubular lead holder, a plunger movably mounted in the bore of said lead holder, a helical propelling member within said housing, a helical follower member mounted to travel between the convolutions of said propelling member, means releasably connecting the lead holder and said follower member, means connecting said plunger with said follower member, and means constructed and arranged to convert rotative tension applied to said propelling member into rectilinear movement applied to said follower member, the lead holder and the plunger, said pro- CONRAD STEHL. 

